A01956:249
The happiness of the church, or, A description of those spiritual prerogatives wherewith Christ…The happines of the church, or, A description of those spirituall prerogatiues vvherewith Christ…
The happiness of the church, or, A description of those spiritual prerogatives wherewith Christ hath endowed her considered in some contemplations upon part of the 12. chapter of the Hebrews : together with certain other meditations and discourses upon other portions of Holy Scriptures, the titles whereof immediately precede the book : being the sum of diverse sermons preached in S. Gregory's London / by Thomas Adams ...The happines of the church, or, A description of those spirituall prerogatiues vvherewith Christ hath endowed her considered in some contemplations vpon part of the 12. chapter of the Hebrewes : together with certain other meditations and discourses vpon other portions of Holy Scriptures, the titles wherof immediately precede the booke : being the summe of diuerse sermons preached in S. Gregories London / by Thomas Adams ...
London: printed by G.P. for John Grismand, 1619London: printed by G.P. for Iohn Grismand, 1619
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But now to our selves; we must all stand before the Tribunal of Christ: to the Statutes of the former books who can answer? All our help is in this latter book, we fly to the Gospel. We kbehold the Lamb of GOD, that taketh away the sin of the world: and comfort our selves, that lif any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins. Now as Festus said to Paul. mHast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go. So, hast thou appealed to the Gospel? thou shalt go to the Gospel for thy tryall. Vel te totaliter absoluit, vel te capitaliter damnat. It shall either throughly justify thee, or extremely condemn thee. The Spirit shall convince the world of sin, saith Christ; nBecause they believe not on me. Now what is the holy Ghosts judgement here, will be Christs hereafter. But why are they condemned of sin for not believing? 1. Because other sins are condemned by nature and Law; as murder, adultery: both among Jews ⟨p. 120⟩and Gentiles: but not to believe is the proper sin of Christians; and it is a grand sin, because they have the doctrine of faith. 2. Because infidelity is the root of all sins, as faith is of all good works: the want of faith leads from transgression to presumption, from presumption to despair. 3. Especially, because faith takes away the guilt of all sins, and freeth from condemnation: but infidelity retains the guilt of it self and others. Omnia peccata per infidelitatem retinentur, per fidem remittuntur. Aug. Luther hath it out of Augustine. Nullum peccatum nisi infidelitas, nulla justitia nisi fides. There is no sin but infidelity, no righteousness but faith. Not that Adultery, Intemperance, Malice are no sins: but Infidelitate manente, manet omne peccatum: eadem decedente absolu•tur, omnia quoad reatum. Unfaithfulness remaining, every sin remains, that departing, every sin is pardoned, and quite taken away in respect of the guiltinesse. Peccata sunt, tua peccata non sunt. After thou becomest a Believer, the sins thou dost are sins; but not thy sins, because they are forgiven thee. This appears by the purpose of Christs coming; which was to